DRIED INK: Stereotyped.
(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Anne Bogart describes the many definitions of stereotype given birth during the twentieth century in A Director Prepares. "An over simplified opinion, prejudiced attitude or uncritical judgement; a set of wide generalizations about the psychological characteristics in a group or class of people; a rigid, biased perception of an object, animal, individual or group; uniform, inflexible mode of behavior; a standardized mental picture that’s held in common by members of a group; to reproduce or perpetuate in an unchanging or standardized form; cause to conform to a fixed or preconceived type.” Without trying, everyone fits into a handful of stereotypes. Whether bad, good or neutral theses labels affect us everyday. It is tough to meet someone new and not categorize them by their looks, profession, age or hobby. But without these labels, would we still have the same day-to-day social structure? I say ney.

The Mexican

Throughout my life, the largest cultural influence has been my Mexican-American heritage. My grandfather, Juan Francisco Alvarez, came to the US in search of a better life in the mid-twentieth century. In order to gain citizenship he joined the military and was forced to change his name to John Frank. Born on his birthday, I was introduced to things valuable to him. A staple of our diet and a significant artifact visible at every meal was the tortilla. This simple food became more common than the spoon and fork. Piñatas at every holiday, menudo every Sunday, and a mass production of tamales during Christmas are important customs that have shaped many aspects of my personality. Once my parents decided to move us to a tiny mountain town in northern California, I quickly became the token Mexican.

The Hippie

I focused my undergrad schooling at Humboldt State University. This is where I studied astronomy, anthropology and evolution placing my faith as a Catholic aside. My studies opened up a respect for Mother Nature, an interest for the Native-American beliefs, an appreciation for the Buddhist lifestyle and a love for the simple values of the traveler. Being the first in my family with these views and living in an area with typically lenient laws against marijuana, my parents labeled me a Hippie.

The Hick

For eight years my playground was the Plumas National Forest and the Bucks Lake Wilderness. Not having many toys, my brothers, sister and I were forced to use our imaginations while we roamed the woods. We would throw rocks at imaginative characters that would slip into the shadows of large firs. Kick the Can and Army games were frequently played in dense manzanita brush and towering ponderosa pines. This is also where we alpine skied and took our simple sleds during the snow season. After living in a tiny town tucked underneath a forest canopy of the Sierra Nevada’s, I returned to Hollister which is the home of my Mexican-American roots. Aunts, uncles and cousins eagerly asked about new passions gained from mountain living. I described my enthusiasm for target shooting, driving off-road, mountaintop bonfires, and garage-made explosives. It’s funny how my transformation went from Mexican to Hick!

vs.

Californian vs. Montanan

We were shooting a video at Bernice's Bakery and a male in his mid 20's exited to the sidewalk. There was a town-style cruiser bike parked between the door and the curb. He almost spilled his coffee on the bike even though there was plenty of space on each side of it. "F#ckin' Californians," he stated with disgust. "Oh? You from California?" I quickly responded. "Hell no. Lived here in Montana my whole life," he howled quickly peddling backwards towards his mountain bike. There is also a view of the Montana lifestyle that has been created by Hollywood and the press. Montanans all live in log style cabins on ranches and herd cattle or run a taxidermy for a living. In our spare time we whittle canoes for children, polish our rifles, and fly fish. So far I have found all of this true!

Other stereotypes that I tripped on and fallen onto:
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The Jock (Athlete)
The Skier (vs. The Snowboarder)
The Firefighter
The Student
The Male